Derby Drama On Boxing Day

Derbies, on Boxing Day, it’s what grassroots football is all about – the drama, the excitement, the last-gasp winners….

And there was plenty of that across Nottinghamshire’s non-league this past Boxing Day, a good half-dozen local dust-ups played out across the Northern Premier, Northern Counties East, and United Counties leagues.

In the NPL it was Worksop hosting Basford in the Premier Division, the NCEL would see some 1,247 fans turn out as Retford United dismantled neighbours Retford, and there was a couple of high-scoring derbies in the UCL also, Sherwood Colliery hitting six, and Clipstone bagging five.

At Worksop, just the one goal separated the two sides, and they had to wait until very late before it arrived, the Tigers’ Jay Rollins affording Worksop a 1-0 win with the winner early in stoppage time; although there was still time for more drama as well.

The hosts could have led late in the first half, visiting shot-stopper, Kieran Preston saving Luke Hall’s spot-kick minutes before the break, he having himself been fouled; there was also a goal disallowed early on in what was an action-packed game.

Having called a minimum of four minutes stoppage time it would be the Tigers who snatched victory midway through that, substitute Liam Hughes, on for Vaughan Redford just minutes earlier, controlling well before dragging the ball across goal, and Jay Rollins on-hand to supply the final touch to tap home.

Chaotic scenes then ensued and, following the melee, United manager, James Jepson, would find himself sent-off by the referee; they even came close to an equaliser after that also, Kieran Fenton rattling Sebastian Malkowski’s upright.

Victory for the Tigers sees them sitting third in the NPL Premier, seven points behind leaders Radcliffe, and just three off second place Warrington Rylands.

Worksop Town – Sebastian Malkowski, Regan Hutchinson, Josh Wilde, Hamza Bencherif, George Taft, Terry Hawkridge, Paul Green, Luke Hall, Jordan Burrow, Jay Rollins, Vaughan Redford

Basford United – Kieran Preston, Owen Betts, Henri Wilder, Jack Lewis, Mason Frizelle, Kieran Fenton, Jonathan Wafula, Jack Thomas, Remaye Campbell, Rev James, Josh Barnes

The other NPL game, in the East, would see Carlton Town pick up a 3-2 win away to Grantham Town; level at ones apiece at the break, Lamin Manneh having netted early for Carlton, second half goals from Michael Ford and Alex Hardwick, just after the hour, gave the visitors the three points.

In Retford meanwhile, and at the Rail in the NCEL Division One, it was far from a close encounter, the visiting Badgers ensuring the town is theirs with a 4-1 win, three of those coming in a dominant, first half.

The Badgers found themselves three goals to the good after 33 minutes, they causing no end of headaches for the home defence; Liam Owen got proceedings underway when he volleyed the opener past Ethan Cowan and into the bottom corner of the Choughs’ net.

Minutes later and the lead was doubled as Jake Champion headed home his first of the game from a couple of yards, he making it three ten minutes later when getting on the end of a cross from Owen; some cheer from the home support arrived in the 35 minute when Hayden Covill netted for the second successive game, the Badgers though leading 3-1 at the break.

Badgers striker, Mark West, would call a halt to an advancing, Choughs attack just after the hour mark with fans having to wait until the very end before any further goals were added; that came in the 92 minute and Charlie Baird, on for Sam Finlaw less than five minutes previous, rounded Cowan in the home goal and slotted home the killer fourth.

Delighting in 1 4-1 road win the Badger sit fifth in Division One, three behind third place Shirebrook Town (with three in hand), and seven behind leaders Wakefield.

Retford – Ethan Cowan, Joe Byrne, Haydn Goddard, Harvey Rodgers, Matt Thompson, Liam Bennett, Zach Casburn, Liam Frost, Hayden Covill, Aaron Sennett-Nielson

Retford United – Rhys Davies, Max Dungworth, Max Pemberton, Sam Finlaw, Owen Fieldsend, Alister Haydock, Liam Owen, Brandon Kane, Jake Champion, Mark West, Josh Nodder

United Counties Premier North leaders, Sherwood Colliery romped to a 6-0 home win in their Boxing Day derby dance with visiting AFC Mansfield.

Three goals in each half for the hosts keeps them three ahead of second place Lincoln United, who have two games in hand heading into the second half of the season; the Wood found themselves three goals to the good after just eleven minutes; Marley Grant with a quick-fire double that was added to by Oliver Lobley, who’s cross goes through the visiting keepers hands and into the top corner.

Jacob Pearce moved the Wood into a four-goal lead with a little over twenty minutes remaining, before Bradley Wells added the fifth shortly after; there was time for a missed penalty by the hosts but Grant fired that straight at the ‘keeper, and it would be he who wrapped up the six-goal win when completing his hat-trick at the death.

Other results in the Premier North saw Tyreece Robinson and Aaron O’Connor net to give Eastwood CFC a 2-1 win at home to Heanor Town; Tom Eccleshall bagged the only goal as Kimberley Miners Welfare won 1-0 at Hucknall Town, and Jack McMenemy was on target in Newark & Sherwood United’s narrow, 2-1 loss, away to Lincoln title-challengers, Lincoln United.

Division One meanwhile saw Selston and Sandiacre Town battle out a goalless draw, whilst there was seven goals in the other derby, between Rainworth Miners Welfare and visiting Clipstone, the Cobras claiming a 5-2 win on the road thanks to braces from Ryan Ingram and Gareth Curtis, Timothy Gregory also netting; Callum Brooks was also on target, he scoring twice for the hosts.

The Nottinghamshire Senior League saw but one game played, in their Premier Division, Collingham closing the gap on leaders Stapleford Town to five points, with a game in hand, following a 3-0 home win over visitors Aslockton & Orston, goals coming from Garvie Cameron (with his 21 of the season on the stroke of half-time), Jayden Driver, and Will Hollingsworth.